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Rembrandt's Interesting Injunction Strategy (Possibly)

By Troll Tracker

There is one patent troll case (that I know of) going to trial this month in the Eastern District of Texas: Rembrandt v. Ciba Vision. Rembrandt may be up to something interesting.

Besides Rembrandt's foray into high tech patents, Rembrandt also bought contact lens patents, and put them in a shell named Rembrandt Vision Technologies, L.P. Rembrandt sued Bausch & Lomb and Ciba Vision in Marshall, Texas back in October 2005. Eventually, Bausch & Lomb settled, and Ciba decided to take it to trial. The parties agreed to have Magistrate Everingham preside over the case (or, as several friends in Texas call him, "Magistrate Chad"). Jury selection was supposed to have been January 3, with trial beginning January 15 (update: I am informed jury selection is January 30, with opening statements to begin immediately thereafter).

In the pretrial order, Ciba asserted that Rembrandt settled with Bausch & Lomb, whereby in exchange for money, not only did Rembrandt dismiss B&L (and maybe give it a license), it also gave its injunction rights to B&L. According to Ciba, Rembrandt did this in an attempt to skirt eBay:

CIBA wishes to bring to the Court?s attention the serious issues that arise from the Master Agreement (the ?Settlement Agreement?) settling the dispute between defendant Bausch & Lomb Inc. (?B&L?) and Rembrandt Vision. In addition to dismissing all pending claims between B&L and Rembrandt Vision, the Settlement Agreement will effectively cause B&L to switch sides in this litigation ? from being CIBA?s co-defendant (and sharing privileged defense strategies with CIBA under a common interest agreement) to pursuing an injunction against CIBA under the Chang patent. While the Settlement Agreement is lengthy and complex, in effect it purports to split the beneficial ownership of the patent such that Rembrandt Vision?s parent companies keep rights to virtually all monies flowing from this action, but B&L obtains the right to seek an injunction against CIBA under the patent in the event that Rembrandt Vision prevails against CIBA at trial. This assignment of the right to seek an injunction is a transparent attempt to circumvent the guidance of the Supreme Court?s eBay decision, in which a plurality of justices counseled against granting injunctions to non-practicing plaintiffs. See eBay, Inc. v. MercExchange, LLC, 126 S. Ct. 1837, 1842 (2006). Neither Rembrandt Vision nor its parent companies practice the invention of the Chang patent. By purporting to transfer the right to seek an injunction to B&L, Rembrandt Vision hopes to improve its chances of obtaining an injunction. CIBA believes there are serious problems with this arrangement in addition to those concerning injunctive relief that could affect the trial of this case and intends to raise these issues at the appropriate time, including, but not limited to, an opposition to any post-verdict motion by Rembrandt Vision for an injunction. CIBA expects that discovery on the circumstances underlying the Settlement Agreement and the timing of B&L?s decision to switch sides in this litigation will be necessary. CIBA also anticipates that B&L?s new alignment with Rembrandt Vision, given the confidential, strategic information governed by the Common Interest Agreement between CIBA and B&L, may give rise to separate issues regarding the conduct of counsel for Rembrandt Vision and B&L. CIBA may also take separate action against B&L and Rembrandt Vision for breaching the terms of the Common Interest Agreement between B&L and CIBA.

Of course, Rembrandt disagreed, stating that Ciba mischaracterized the Rembrandt-B&L agreement and that Rembrandt would be happy to explain at the court's convenience, but it did not flat-out deny it wouldn't use the agreement to aid in its seeking an injunction. If true, and that's what Rembrandt is really trying to do, then it's a very interesting strategy. Side with one of the co-defendants and induce them to switch sides to improve their chance of an injunction. Fish & Richardson represents Rembrandt, along with a host of local counsel, including Parker Bunt & Ainsworth, Ireland Carroll & Kelley, Brown McCarroll, and Jones & Jones. Banner Witcoff appears to represent Ciba, along with Sidley Austin and Potter Minton, and perhaps others. Note's Ciba's veiled threat to go after Fish & Richardson. Just what Fish needs!

The other case that was going to go to trial in January was Mobile Micromedia Solutions LLC v. Nissan. Just last week, however, Judge Folsom granted a motion continuing the trial until May 2008, due to the "numerous pending motions for summary judgment, Daubert motions, voluminous motions in limine, and a plethora of exhibit issues and deposition designations," along with the unavailability of a key plaintiff's witness. Judge Clark's cases slated for January 2008 trial appear to have settled. I don't know of any Ward or Davis cases going to trial, so Rembrandt may have center stage this month in EDTX.

Full post as published by Patent Troll Tracker on January 07, 2008 (boomark / email).